Car top carrier

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for handling a storage compartment as it is raised from ground level to a carry position on top of a vehicle whereby wheelchairs and the like deposited in said compartment may be stored and transported for convenient useage. Controls regulate up, down, rotational and locking operations of compartment hoist elements that move the compartment transitionally from an upright position at the side of the vehicle to an elevated flat disposition on top of the vehicle with said compartment and all hoist elements being maintained at a low elevation to preserve low clearance characteristics.

3,139,203 6/1964 Borger United States Patent Lawrence A. SpurgeonArvada;

Earl F. Sorensen, Denver, both of Colo. 887,948

Dec. 24, 1969 Sept. 28, 1971 said Spurgeon, by said Sorenson [72]Inventors [21 App]. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee 54 CARTOP CARRIER 12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. 214/450, 214/75 11 [51] Int. Cl B60r 9/00 [50] Field ofSearch ..214/450, 75 H, 316,1Q,1QD

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,354,716 10/1920 Beardsley379,693 3/1888 Fitchit Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza AssistantExaminer-John Mannix Attorney-C. B. Messenger I ABSTRACT: A mechanismfor handling a storage compartment as it is raised from ground level toa carry position on top of a vehicle whereby wheelchairs and the likedeposited in said compartment may be stored and transported forconvenient useage. Controls regulate up, down, rotational and lockingoperations of compartment hoist elements that move the compartmenttransitionally from an upright position at the side of the vehicle to anelevated flat disposition on top of the vehicle with said compartmentand all hoist elements being maintained at a low elevation to preservelow clearance characteristics.

PATENTED 8EF28 |97l SHEET 1 OF 2 mwsurons LAWRENCE A. SPURGEON EARL ESORENSEN ATTORNEY PATENTED SEP28 IBYI 3608; 759

sum 2 [IF 2 HOIST -.'?\(f1 INVENTORS LAWRENCE A. SPURGEON EARL F.SOHENSEN ATTORNEY CAR TOP CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In orderto provide mobility for people that are temporarily or permanentlydisabled, wheelchairs have now received widespread acceptance. With awheelchair that is either manually or motor propelled, many otherwisedisabled persons are now able to pursue worthwhile occupations andbusinesses. Even with the advent of folding wheelchairs, however, amajor problem is still encountered when handicapped individuals are tobe transported in motor vehicles.

Motor vehicles having special and advantageous control features areavailable to help solve problems of mobility, but some handicappedpersons now have more difficulty in storing or handling a wheelchairthan they do in actual motor vehicle driving operations. For paraplegicsthe operations of folding and storing a wheelchair can be quitecumbersome, tiring and time-consuming. A single-handicapped individualoften cannot store a wheelchair in an automobile trunk compartment, andstorage within the vehicle itself is not always desirable. In otherinstances, the manipulations necessary for storing a wheelchair withinthe automobile cannot be accomplished. The present car top carrier andhoist mechanism is provided in order to avoid difficulties encounteredin connection with the handling of wheel chairs and the like byhandicapped individuals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, the present invention providesa storage compartment that is adapted to receive a wheelchair or othersimilar object. At the time of loading or unloading, the storagecompartment is disposed alongside a vehicle in position adjacent anaccess door thereof. A front closure may be moved with respect to thecompartment so that a folded wheelchair may be disposed within thecompartment. Thereafter a hoisting mechanism engaged to the compartmentraises the compartment to a carry position on top of the vehicle.Because of space limitations in garages, beneath covered driveways,etc., the compartment is desirably moved transitionally from oneposition to another in a pattern designed to provide efficientoperations without any part of the compartment or the hoist mechanismitself being raised or disposed above a desired low clearance limit. Acable-type hoist mechanism meeting such requirement moves thecompartment upwardly to a flat horizontal position and then rotates thehorizontally disposed compartment toward its carry position. At thecarry position a lock mechanism engages and holds the compartment on thecar top.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view with parts of thehoist mechanism shown in alternate position,

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation again showing hoist and compartmentcomponents in alternate positions,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing the compartment in its carryposition,

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit that may be usedto activate and control the desired hoisting, lowering and lockingoperations, and

FIG. 5 is a partial top view showing the storage compartment in anupright ground supported position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1-5 are illustrative of apreferred embodiment of the invention that is particularly adapted forhandling and storing wheelchairs and the like. In FIG. 1 the car topcarrier mechanism 11 is shown applied to the top of an automotivevehicle 12. The carrier mechanism 11 is inclusive of hoist and supportcomponents 13 and a storage compartment 14. The hoist 13 may be mountedon top of the car by use of strap supports 16 that are engaged to theautomobile 12 or parts thereof, such as a drip molding 17. Through useof such straps 16 a support base 18 for the hoist ll is positioned andheld on the car top. Base 18 provides support for a corner post 19. Apivot support 21 extends upwardly from the post 19, and support arms 22and 23 are disposed radially therefrom. A winch shaft arm 24 extendsparallel to radial arm 22, and it is supported by the arm 23. A winchshaft 26 is then positioned between the arms 22 and 24 for rotation. Awinch drive motor 27 is connected to the shaft 26 to power rotationthereof. Winch drive motor 27 may be inclusive of a gear reduction driveso that a small motor may be satisfactorily used. Operation of the motor27 and of other functions of the hoist mechanisms are controlled by acontrol switch 30, which is schematically shown in FIG. 4. Controlswitch 30 is preferably positioned on a door post of the automobile 12,as indicated in FIG. 2, or in some alternate position that can beconveniently reached by an operator sitting in the automobile seat orfrom a position outside the automobile.

Cable drums 31 and 33 are positioned inwardly on the shaft 26 forrotation therewith, while drums 32 and 34 of larger diameter aresimilarly positioned on the shaft 26. Cables 35 extend from the drums 31and 33 directly to the compartment 14. Other cables 36 are reeved overidler pulleys 38 and 40 on idler shaft 37 before being connected to thelower portion of the compartment 14, as by eyelets 41. When thecompartment 14 is to be raised, the switch 30 is moved to a first UPposition 43 to energize the motor 27 and to rotate shaft 26 in an updirection. Rotation of shaft 26 and all of the drums 31-33 and 32-34effectively shortens cables 35 and 36. Drums 32-34, however, are oflarger size, and, accordingly, the lower end of the compartment 14 willbe swung upwardly and outwardly until the compartment is raised to ahorizontal position as shown at B in FIG. 2. At this position a limitswitch 42 is engaged by the compartment to stop the hoist motor 27.

In the next operational step the switch is moved to a first Horizontalposition 44, and a horizontal drive motor 47 is then energized. Thismotor 87 is mounted on a support plate 48 extending outwardly from thepost 19, and the shaft of the motor is connected to a worm drive shaftas. A follower nut 51 on a rotor arm 52 engages the worm drive shaft 49,and, ac-

cordingly, the rotor arm 52 is moved with respect to the motor I 47 andits support plate 48. Rotation of the arm 52, which is attached to thepivot support 21 causes a corresponding rotation of the hoist frame 13.As this frame is rotated, the compartment M will be moved to position Cas shown in FIG. 2, which corresponds to its carry position as shown inFIG. 3. When adequate turning movement has been obtained, a limit switch53 will be engaged and the power to the horizontal drive motor 47 willbe interrupted. Thereafter movement of switch 30 to the down position 54will energize the hoist motor 27 in a reverse direction to lower thecompartment 14. As the compartment is lowered, a latch 56 on thecompartment engages a catch 57 of solenoid lock 58. Spring 59 iscompressed, and thereafter the catch 57 will hold the compartment 14 inlocked position. Simultaneously a limit switch 61 is engaged to stophoist motor 27 and to arrest the downward extension of the cables 35 and36.

With the compartment in this elevated, lowered and locked position, thevehicle 12 may be driven to any desired location. The hoist mechanismand compartment are all at a relatively low elevation, and the vehiclecan be driven into private garages, parking garages or under variousservice-type canopies. The total height of the vehicle and car topcarrier-hoist can be kept to less than 7 feet with this type ofinstallation and operation.

After the car has been driven to a new selected location, even ahandicapped driver can recover his wheelchair or anything stored in thecompartment 41 for local uses. The operations in lowering thecompartment are again controlled by switch 30. This switch is moved tothe Solenoid position 62, and the coils of the solenoid 58 are thenenergized to retract the catch 57. The contacts at the Solenoid position62 are extended so the solenoid will remain energized until the switchis the hoist l3 and frame components 22-23-24 to the extended positionshown in FIG. 1. Limit switch 67 is contacted to deenergize thehorizontal drive motor 47, and control switch 30 will next be moved tothe Down position 68. The hoist motor will then lower the compartment 14to a ground supported position.

When the compartment is in its lowered position, a front sidewall 69,which is closest adjacent to the vehicle door support post, can beopened to gain access to the interior of the compartment for removal ofany wheelchairs or other object received therein. The mentioned frontsidewall may be pivotally mounted on the compartment 14 by a hinge 71,as

shown in FIG. 5, or it may be laterally movable away from its closedposition. At any rate when the front sidewall 69 is closed, thecompartment 14 will provide secure storage for any object receivedtherein.

Beneficially the movement pattern for the hoist mechanism and thecompartment itself moves the front sidewall 69 into a position alignedwith the side of the vehicle 12 when the compartment is in its elevatedcarry position. The front sidewall 69 can then be opened manually sothat any person having full dexterity and adequate strength can installor remove a wheelchair in the carrier compartment 14. It will not benecessary under such circumstances to operate the hoist and pivotmechanism to obtain ready access to the storage compartment.

While the present description has been concerned with the movementpattern for a compartment 14, it is obvious that a primary objective ofthe invention is the handling and storage of wheelchairs or othersimilar items. The use of a storage compartment admittedly provides anadditional advantage, since it is desirable to protect a wheelchair orany other object being placed on top of the vehicle from wind andweather. Beneficial use of the invention, however, is not whollydependent upon the use of a storage compartment, since a wheelchair canitself be handled and stored by the hoisting mechanisms of thisembodiment of the invention. The cables 35 can be engaged to top framecomponents of a wheelchair, while the cables 36 are engaged to lowercomponents of the chair. The chair itself will then be moved through thedescribed movement pattern to a place of car top storage.

Other objects in addition to wheelchairs can similarly be handled in amanner that avoid passage through an intermediate hoist step where somepart of the hoisting mechanism or the object itself would be extended toan elevation substantially higher than that necessary through use of thepresent invention. In order to express this additional utility of theinvention, the compartment initially described or any other object to behandled and stored is hereinafter generically termed as upstandingobject." The upstanding object is moved to a flat horizontal position ontop of the carrying vehicle or to a rotated flat horizontal position todistinguish from its initial disposition alongside the vehicle. Ingeneral, a change in orientation of approximately 90 is contemplated bysuch upstanding" to "flat or upright to horizontal terminology.

Through the exact positioning of all limit switches is not indicated onthe drawings, it is believed that the function and operation of suchswitches is adequately shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4. Theswitches can obviously be located on fixed or moving frame or supportcomponents or on the cables or on rotating parts. At all such locationsthey will be positioned for actuation when a described maneuver has beencompleted.

We claim:

1. A mechanism for use with motor vehicles to facilitate storage ofobjects on top of said vehicles by moving the objects to a flathorizontal position on top of said vehicle comprising a support framefor attachment to said vehicle, a hoist mechanism on said frame, meansfor interconnecting said hoist and said upstanding object, power meansfor differentially moving the higher and lower portions of said objectwhereby the object is rotated from an upright plane of orientation andelevated until said object is in flat horizontal position with theinitially higher and lower portions of said object being atapproximately the same elevation and above the top of said vehicle, andpowered mechanism for moving said object horizontally to a position ofstorage above said vehicle top, all of said hoist and powered mechanismbeing maintained at all times at a low clearance elevation correspondingto the height of said vehicle plus the height of said object in itsstored position and with the object and portions thereof at all timesnot exceeding said low clearance elevation.

2. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the differentialmovement pattern for said object is simultaneous and continuous withrespect to the elevation thereof.

3. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the higher portion ofsaid object is moved vertically by said hoist mechanism and power meansas the object is elevated whereby the object is not swung outwardly withrespect to said vehicle and a narrow side clearance is accordinglymaintained.

4. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hoist mechanism isinclusive of pulley and tension elements.

5. The mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein a cable hoist mechanismis utilized and further comprising separate cables for attachment to thehigher and lower portions of said object.

6. The mechanism as set forth in claim 5 wherein separate cable drumsare provided for the separate cables and wherein said drum are ofdifferent diameter to accomplish rotation of said object as it iselevated.

7. The mechanism as set forth in claim 6 wherein all of said drums arerotated by said power means at the same rotative speed.

8. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the powered mechanismfor moving said object horizontally rotates said object to its positionof storage.

9. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the object manipulatedby said mechanism is a wheelchair.

10. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the object to beelevated and stored is a compartment and further comprising an accessopening for said compartment with said access opening being disposed forconvenient loading when the compartment object is in its upstandingposition alongside the vehicle.

11. The mechanism as set forth in claim 10 wherein said access openingis on a front sidewall of said compartment disposed forwardly.

12. The mechanism as set forth in claim 10 wherein said access openingis still disposed at a side of said vehicle after said compartmentobject has been elevated and rotated horizontally to its stored positionon top of said vehicle.

1. A mechanism for use with motor vehicles to facilitate storage of objects on top of said vehicles by moving the objects from an upstanding position alongside the vehicle to a flat horizontal position on top of said vehicle comprising a support frame for attachment to said vehicle, a hoist mechanism on said frame, means for interconnecting said hoist and said upstanding object, power means for differentially moving the higher and lower portions of said object whereby the object is rotated from an upright plane of orientation and elevated until said object is in flat horizontal position with the initially higher and lower portions of said object being at approximately the same elevation and above the top of said vehicle, and powered mechanism for moving said object horizontally to a position of storage above said vehicle top, all of said hoist and powered mechanism being maintained at all times at a low clearance elevation corresponding to the height of said vehicle plus the height of said object in its stored position and with the object and portions thereof at all times not exceeding said low clearance elevation.
 2. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the differential movement pattern for said object is simultaneous and continuous with respect to the elevation thereof.
 3. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the higher portion of said object is moved vertically by said hoist mechanism and power means as the object is elevated whereby the object is not swung outwardly with respect to said vehicle and a narrow side clearance is accordingly maintained.
 4. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hoist mechanism is inclusive of pulley and tension elements.
 5. The mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein a cable hoist mechanism is utilized and further comprising separate cables for attachment to the higher and lower portions of said object.
 6. The mechanism as set forth in claim 5 wherein separate cable drums are provided for the separate cables and wherein said drums are of different diameter to accomplish rotation of said object as it is elevated.
 7. The mechanism as set forth in claim 6 wherein all of said drums are rotated by said power means at the same rotative speed.
 8. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the powered mechanism for moving said object horizontally rotates said object to its position of storage.
 9. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the object manipulated by said mechanism is a wheelchair.
 10. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the object to be elevated and stored is a compartment and further comprising an access opening for said compartment with said access opening being disposed for convenient loading when the compartment object is in its upstanding position alongside the vehicle.
 11. The mechanism as set forth in claim 10 wherein said access opening is on a front sidewall of said compartment disposed foRwardly.
 12. The mechanism as set forth in claim 10 wherein said access opening is still disposed at a side of said vehicle after said compartment object has been elevated and rotated horizontally to its stored position on top of said vehicle. 